Sunday, September 21, 2008

Pierre Matter - Steampunk Hybrids between Machine and Animal

Today’s entry features the steampunk sculptures of French artist Pierre Matter . His work explores Gothic themes while mixing up man and machine in a postmodern maelstrom.

He's been creating these awesome steampunk sculptures for the past couple of decades using copper, aluminum, resin and other metals. Some weigh in excess of 1.5 tons!

Born April 4th, 1964 in the Haut-Rhin, in the valley of Munster, Matter describes his childhood as “mystical”. He studied watercolor early in his career, graduating to stonework and eventually to metal.

Matter describes his work as hybrids of man and machine. He says, “Even the cows of the mountains are nothing any more but machines with milk.”

Combining nature and technical civilization, Matter’s metal-animals translate the overlap between nature and the man.

They reflect the concern of the always possible monstrosity while releasing the feeling of power which modern technology seems to offer.

His work was most recently on display at MOCA Shanghai - Museum of Contemporary Art – Shanghai, China.